Western graduate to play professional basketball in Denmark

Recent Western graduate Kayla Bernsen will be leaving August 15 for Denmark where she recently signed to play professional basketball for the Lemvig Basket team in the Dame Ligaen.

With the help of an agent, Kayla Bernsen was able to get international attention.

“[My agent] put out all my tapes and all that. I got interest from few teams but Denmark was the one coming at me the hardest,” Bernsen said.

Bernsen’s deal lasts until May. Once her contract expires, Bernsen has to make a difficult decision.

“At that time with my agent and the team, I will reevaluate if I want to come back or move up the ranks in the league,” Bernsen said.

Bernsen has worked hard every day and has pushed herself to achieve her goal.

“I don’t think I’ve ever been the best player anywhere I’ve gone,” Bernsen said. “When I was young I don’t think I was that good. I wasn’t tall and super gangly and I fell all the time. I just kept going to practice and I never gave up and I think that is how I got here.”

Bernsen started playing basketball at the age of five after watching her older sister. When Bernsen was younger she knew she wanted to play basketball, even dressing up as a professional basketball player during her school’s career day. But the road wasn’t easy. In seventh-grade Bernsen quit basketball and started to play volleyball. Bernsen played volleyball up until her junior year of high school.

“I was actually in the beginning process of getting recruited for volleyball as a junior and then switched over to basketball,” Bernsen said.

From switching sports to scholarships, Bernsen said she has fought hard to achieve this chance in her basketball career.

“I’m nervous to go to Denmark because I don’t know a single soul. I know the coach. I’ve Skyped him a few times but I’ve never met anybody there,” Bernsen said. Still, Bernsen realizes the possibilities ahead of her. “It is so exciting to take an advantage of what I have right now,” Bernsen said. “It is definitely feels like a dream, it’s crazy.”

Sports

By Tanner Fricke A timeout is called at one of Western’s basketball games and 20 cheerleaders hit the floor, moving into a pyramid formation. The show is about to begin. “There is nothing I love more than being on the sidelines during a really close game and […]